Stringed musical instrument



July 21, 1936. E. BLANCHETTE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheefl ORNEY R E w... n h 0 0. 6

y 21,1936 E. BLANCHETTE 2 048,592

- STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed July 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E INVENTOR m 48 6'12 Blanche??? Patented July 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE s'rnnvonn MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Eli Blanchette, Dayvil le, Conn. Application July 29, 1931, Serial No. 553,773

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in banjos and like stringed musical instruments and has particular reference to improvement of structure. and method of making the same. I

The principal object of the invention is to 'provide simplified means and method of making a banjo or like stringed musical instruments wherein the various parts may be more easily, quickly and cheaply manufactured and assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for improving the tone qualities of banjos or like stringed musical instruments, both as to volume and trueness of tone, and has particular reference to the method of making said means.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved head tightening means and the method of making same.

Another object is to provide an improved neck support and method of making same.

Another object is to provide a construction which will reduce the number of parts and'permit the use of materials which decrease the weight of such instruments.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement of parts and methods shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompany ing claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction, arrangement of parts and methods shown'and described, as the preferred formsonly have been shown by way of illustration.

It has been customary in the past to form the shell of such instruments from several pieces of wood which were glued. together and thence turned to the shape desired. This process was very slow and costly and formed a heavy and bulky instrument which was very cumbersome to handle. Another undesired feature of most prior art instruments was that several parts were necessary to complete the instrument, making the finished product very costly. Another drawback with most prior art instruments was that the head tightening means wereeither located internally of the instrument and in a placewhere they were difficult to get at or were formed with many exposed sharp projections which caught and tore the clothes of the user.

Applicant has overcome the above mentioned prior art defects by forming aninstrument which may be quickly and easily stamped from sheet metal such as aluminum or the like or moulded to the shape desired. He has greatly reduced the details of construction and has provided exceedingly novel means for-tightening the head of the instrument from the exterior thereof and which 5 has no projecting portions which are apt to catch and tear the clothes of the user. The. feature of applicants device is that the parts may be quickly, easily and cheaply manufactured and assembled and whenfinished will be exceptionally light in weight, attractive and easy to handle.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. I is a plan View of the device embodying the invention;

Fig. II is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. I;

Fig. IIIis an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the detail of the head tightening means and tone improving means; r

Fig. IV is a fragmentary view showing a step in the process of manufacture of the shell of the instrument; I

Fig. V is a view similar to Fig. IV, showing a further step in the process of manufacture;

Fig. VI is a view similar to Fig. V, showing a further step in the process of manufacture;

Fig. VII is a plan view of the tone. improving means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the device embodying the invention comprises a main body portion I which is formed, as shownin Figures IV, V and VI, by pressing sheet aluminum or other sheet material into the. shape shown in Figures I, II and III. This shape has an annular portion 2 which forms the shell of the instrument over which the gut head 3 is stretched, and has a shouldered portion 4 integral therewith which terminates in an enlarged annular portion 5 forming the resonator chamber 6.

, The portion 4 has a plurality of shouldered recesses l therein as shown in Figure III in which a plurality of shouldered nut members 8 are positioned. The said nut members are adapted to engage with a plurality of tightening bolts 9 which are formed with hook shaped ends In which overlie and fit into a plurality of notches ll formed in the tension ring l2. The tension ring I2 is adapted to fit around the annular shell portion 2 and engage with a flesh ring l3 adjacent its lower end. The flesh ring I3 is adapted to receive the peripheral edge of the gut head 3 as shown in the enlarged section of the instrument in Figure III. The peripheral edge of the gut head is turned over the flesh ring l3 and is adapted to be drawn downwardly with said ring when the tension ring 12 is drawn downwardly by the bolt members 9. This drawing down of the tension ring I2 is accomplished by rotating the nut members 8 through the use of a hand wrench or the like 14.

The annular portion 5 is threaded at 15 and is adapted to receive the bottom It. The said bottom is also threaded at its peripheral edge and is provided with an overlapping shouldered portion I! to form a snug fit. The shouldered portion 4 is provided with a plurality of tone expelling openings [8 to permit the passage of the tone from the resonator chamber.

The annular shell portion 2 is provided internally with a shouldered portion 38. of said annular shell portion is a plurality of tone cups 4!] which are secured adjacent their upper ends to a perforated disc 4|. The said perforated disc is provided with depending spring arms 42 which are adapted to engage the shouldered portion 39 as shown in Figure III to hold the said tone cups internally of the annular shell portion 2. The tone cups are formed from strips of sheet material such as celluloid or metal which are rolled into cylindrical form and thence attached adjacent one end in openings formed in the disc or plate 4| as shown in Figure VII. Attention is directed to the fact that the plate member 4| and attached tone cups are spaced from the gut head 3 and are supported internally of the annular shell portion 2 by the spring arms 42. The tone cups 40 are adapted to collect tone vibrations and produce an amplifying effect. These tone cups also increase the tone quality of the instrument. Attention is directed to the fact that although the tone cups 40 are shown and described as being held within the annular shell 2 by the spring arms 42, any suitable means may be used such as connecting screws or the like.

In Figures IV, V and VI there is shown diagrammatically a method of forming the main body portion of the instrument. In this instance a sheet of aluminum or like material 44 is placed between a pair of forming dies 45 and 46 and the said dies are forced into co-mating relation with each other as shown in Figure V. The said dies being previously formed to a shape wherein the plate member 44 will assume the shape of the instrument shown in Figure II, that is, the annular shell portion 2, shouldered portion 4 and enlarged annular portion 5, will be simultaneously formed in a single operation. After the said main body portion has been pressed into desired shape as shown in Figure VI, a plunger die 41 having a plurality of projecting members 48 thereon is adapted to punch the shouldered portion 4 to form the tone expelling openings l8 therein. The said enlarged annular portion 5 is thence formed with the threads IS. The shouldered openings 1 are thence formed in the shouldered portion 4 and are formed in staggered relation with the tone expelling openings [8.

Although applicant has shown and described the forming of the main body portion by a pressing process, it is to be understood that suitable patterns may be formed and that the said main body portion may be moulded if desired.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that an exceedingly simple construction is provided wherein the parts of said instrument may be quickly, easily and cheaply manufactured and assembled, and which when completed will form Internally a very light device which is exceptionally attractive and easy to handle.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion, an intermediate shouldered portion extending from the shell portion and an enlarged annular portion integral with said shouldered portion, the internal face adjacent the free edge of the enlarged annular portion being threaded.

2. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion, an intermediate shouldered portion extending from the shell portion, an enlarged annular portion integral with said shouldered portion, the internal face adjacent the free edge of the enlarged annular portion being threaded and a bottom plate threaded to said enlarged annular por tion.

3. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion, an intermediate shouldered portion extending from said shell portion and having a plurality of shouldered recesses therein, an enlarged annular portion extending from the shouldered portion, a bottom plate secured to the enlarged annular portion adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and forming an enclosed resonator chamber, a membrane stretched over the top of the annular shell portion, a retaining ring telescoping said annular shell and the margins of said membrane, a plurality of tightening bolts having a bent portion engaging the retaining ring and a threaded portion extending through the shouldered openings in the shouldered portion of the head frame 3 and a shouldered nut member extending through the shouldered openings from the side opposite the threaded portions of the bolts and engaging with said threaded portions.

4. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion, an intermediate shouldered portion extending from said shell portion and having a plurality of shouldered recesses therein, an enlarged annular portion extending from the shouldered portion, a bottom plate secured to the enlarged annular portion adjacent the peripheral edge thereof and forming anenclosed resonator chamber, a membrane stretched over the top of the annular shell portion, a retaining ring telescoping said annular shell and the margins .of said membrane, a plurality of tightening bolts having a bent portion engaging the retaining ring and a threaded portion extending through the shouldered openings in the shouldered portion-of the head frame, a

shouldered nut member extending through the shouldered openings from the side opposite the threaded portions of the bolts and engaging with said threaded portions and a plurality of tone cups internally of said head frame.

5. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion, an intermediate shouldered portion extending from said shell portion and having a plurality of recesses therein, an enlarged annular portion extending from the shouldered portion and having a threaded connection adjacent the free edge thereof and a bottom plate having a peripheral threaded portion secured to said threaded edge and forming an enclosed resonator chamber.

6. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising an annular shell portion having an outwardly flared portion, said flared portion having a plurality of openings therein, an enlarged annular portion integral with said flared portion, a bottom plate secured to said annular portion and forming an enclosed resonator chamber, a membrane stretched over the top of the annular shell portion, a retaining ring telescoping said annular shell portion and the margins of said membrane, means engaging said retaining ring and extending through the openings in the outwardly flared portion, and shouldered nut means extending through said openings in said outwardly flared portion on the side opposite that of said first named means and engaging with said first named means for tightening the membrane, said nut means extending above the outer surface of said outwardly flared portion.

'7. In a banjo or like stringed musical instrument, the combination of a head frame having a plurality of openings therein, a membrane stretched over said head frame, a retaining ring telescoping said head frame and the margins of said membrane, a plurality of tightening bolts for tightening the membrane on the head frame, said tightening bolts comprising a threaded portion and a portion engaging the retaining ring and a shouldered nut portion extending through the openings in said head frame and projecting outwardly thereof beyond the outer surface of said head frame and engaging with the threaded portion of the tightening bolts.

8. In a banjo or like stringed musical instrument, the combination of a head frame having a shouldered portion internally thereof, a plate member having a plurality of openings therein supported internally of the head frame and a plurality of cylindrical members secured in the openings of said plate member.

9. In a banjo or like stringed musical instrument, the combination of a head frame having a shouldered portion internally thereof, a plate member having a plurality of openings therein and peripheral spring fingers thereon, 'said fingers engaging the internal shouldered portion of the head frame and supporting said plate member internally of said frame and a plurality of tone members supported in aligned relation with the openings.

10. In a banjo or like stringed musical instrument, the combination of a head frame having a membrane stretched thereover and having a plurality of resilient fingers for supporting it thereto, a perforated plate member secured internally of said head frame in spaced relation with the membrane and a plurality of cylindrical members secured in the perforations in said plate member.

11. In a stringed musical instrument, a hollow base forming a resonator chamber, a membrane support coaxially aligned with the hollow base, a membrane on said support and a plurality of upright tubular members supported in spaced relation with each other between the membrane and the hollow base.

12. In a stringed musical instrument, an instrument head having a membrane stretched over the upper end thereof and having an intermedi ate hollow portion forming a resonator chamber and a backing plate adjacent its lower end and a plurality of tubular members supported in spaced relation with each other between said membrane and backing plate.

13. In a stringed musical instrument body, a head frame comprising a membrane support, an outwardly flared portion associated with said support and having an opening therein, a membrane stretched over the top of the support, a retaining member telescoping said support and the margins of said membrane, means engaging said retaining member and having a threaded portion extending through the opening in the outwardly flared portion, and shouldered nut means extending through said opening from the side opposite the means engaging the retaining member and engaging with the threaded portion of said means, said nut means having a portion extending above the upper surface of said outwardly flared portion flared portion, and shouldered nut means extending through said opening from the side opposite the means engaging the retaining member and engaging with the threaded portion of said means, said nut means having a. portion extending above the upper surface of said outwardly flared portion and providing means for engaging the nut with a tightening tool exteriorly of the head and a backing member secured to the head frame on the side thereof opposite the membrane.

ELI BLANCHE'ITE. 

